Most parents hope their children will acquire many strings to their bows, and the benefits of learning a musical instrument are well documented. But have you considered that learning multiple instruments can be even more advantageous to a child’s development? Here’s why.
Enhancing music skills
To become a great musician, you may think that your child should focus solely on one instrument. This may be true of some children (more on this later), but there are many reasons why learning multiple instruments can lead to enhanced musicianship. Attending both violin lessons and drumming lessons, for example, will introduce your child to, and deepen their appreciation for, a whole new range of sounds, genres, and styles - broadening their understanding of music. Meanwhile, taking both classical guitar lessons and singing lessons could enhance your child’s ability to read music, in turn helping them become a better, more rounded musician.
Boosting cognitive abilities
Numerous studies have shown that learning to play music can have positive effects on cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. One study published in the journal "Nature" found that musical training can improve working memory and enhance the ability to manipulate auditory information (Pallesen et al., 2010). Another study published in "Frontiers in Psychology" found that musical training can improve cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to switch between tasks or concepts (Moreno et al., 2011).
Improving motor skills
Studying several disciplines, like learning the oud and learning the electric guitar at the same time, can also improve motor skills, particularly hand-eye coordination, and dexterity. Research has shown that musicians have better motor control and coordination compared to non-musicians and that the degree of improvement is correlated with the amount of musical training (Zatorre et al., 2007). By learning multiple instruments, children can develop different sets of motor skills that can be applied to different tasks or activities.
Choosing what’s best for your child
We’ve seen that learning multiple instruments can have a variety of benefits for children's brain development, including improving cognitive abilities, enhancing neural connectivity, and developing motor skills. So, if your child is passionate about music, why not allow them to play more than one instrument?
It's worth noting, however, that learning multiple instruments requires a higher level of cognitive and motor demands compared to learning a single instrument, which may pose a greater challenge for some children. Therefore, it's important to ensure that the child is not overwhelmed by the workload and that they can manage their time and practice effectively. You know your child best!
The Art of Guitar approach
If you think your child would benefit from playing several instruments, we offer lessons in guitar, piano, drums, violin, oud, and vocals. Experts in all styles and genres, our academy is led by professionals who’ll use their combined decades of teaching experience to support and guide your child every step of the way –
so you know they’re in safe hands.
Our approach covers all aspects of learning, from learning new techniques and reading music, right through to structuring practice sessions, goal setting, tips on staying motivated, and helping students to avoid common mistakes. Because we believe that every child should have the opportunity to learn music, we also offer the most competitive prices in the industry - without ever compromising on quality.
Want to find out more? To enroll your child in Music by Art of Guitar's music lessons or simply get more information, visit our Academy page
